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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · mate · can · fine · fall · suit · pitcher · tube

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mate — a friend
  12. can — a tin
  13. bat — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mate — to breed
  20. fall — the season
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fine — all right
  23. tube — the underground
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com